The BJP’s newly-elected MPs are fast learning the rules of the game set by their leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party on Tuesday morning, party MPs were clearly told that lobbying for appointments in various House committees and foreign jaunts, especially during an ongoing session, are strictly prohibited.

The meeting started with the MPs being addressed first by veteran LK Advani, who talked about Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore, who died recently. While Modi did not speak it was left to Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to read the riot act.

Naidu reportedly started by reprimanding the latecomers. “The Prime Minister was here at 9.25 am sharp. But I can see that people are still trooping in. I would urge members to take these meetings as seriously as we do,” he is said to have told the MPs.

Naidu told the members that they cannot, on their own, give notices for adjournment motion or cut motion on any issue without prior consultations in the parliamentary party. “All these issues have to be decided by the parliamentary party,” the Minister reportedly said.

More importantly, members were told that while Parliament is in session, they should not proceed on any foreign trip “whether it is official or unofficial”. Also, members were told not to volunteer for membership on any of the consultative or standing committees in any of the Houses.

“The party is working out who is best suited for which job. Members should not volunteer,” he said.

Budget presentation Finance Minister Arun Jaitley gave a presentation on the Budget to the MPs.

The Tuesday meeting is part of what BJP sources say is a process of structural changes and “professionalising” the functioning of the party.

At an earlier meeting with 150 first-time MPs last month, the Prime Minister had given a list of dos and don’ts that included treating parliament proceedings like the Bhagwad Gita and nurturing their constituencies.

“Our transition from opposition to treasury is not limited to moving a few feet to the other side. This is a significant transition and we must try to appreciate the meaning of this,” the PM had reportedly told party MPs from both the Houses.

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